Remember, our meeting this Friday July 15th will be at Hadlock Field - early start time 12 Noon!
The luncheon and meeting is held under the pavilion down the line bordering right field. $25 payable at the gate for the meal served by Sea Dog's staff includes a Sea Dog Biscuit delicious Gifford's ice cream sandwich!
Meeting of July 8, 2022
Bruce Jones, Our New Club President
by Juliana L’Heureux
Past District Governor Dick Hall (2021-22), recognized and thanked Portland Rotary President Bruce Jones for his leadership during the club’s transitions through the two year COVID challenges, while filling in as the president and serving in his position as first vice-president.
“Well, I finally made it”, said President Bruce. “The training wheels are off!”
In his speech, President Bruce extended an invitation to all Portland Rotarians to join in developing a shared vision for goals to make meaningful contributions to the local community and to the international community. “It’s my intention to serve people to make their lives better and to have an engaged and inspired membership, and to have fun along the way.”
As a shout out to past presidents, he expressed appreciation for helpful words of wisdom and guidance. “I’ll do my best to serve this club with vigor and respect for the great legacy of Service Above Self, like my predecessors have done in this position.”
Over the past six months, several of the past club presidents stepped up to host meetings. Past Presidents Ellen Niewoehner, Amy Chipman, Tom Talbott, Bill Blount, Larry Gross, John Marr, Laura Young, Bowen Depke and Paul Gore. “Their best advice to me was to ‘Take Charge and the club will support you’.”
He recognized his wife Sue for her support along the path to Rotary leadership, as well as to his two children Ben and Emily, and their 15 month olds, Sam and Courtney, who were zooming in to the meeting.
Four areas of engagement will be the club’s focus: (a) building and engaging the membership (b) enhancing Portland’s natural environment (c) discovering and engaging in relevant community service projects and (d) creating a stronger local image.
An impressive description about Portland Rotary’s accomplishments during the past two years was highlighted:
A hybrid format was incorporated in the meetings- members can attend in person or remotely.
Portland Rotary exceeded the club’s financial goals with Rotary Foundation and Polio Plus.
“Both operational and charitable accounts are on solid financial grounds.
New members were added, including the recent addition of 8 members who were welcomed from the Portland Sunrise Club.
The club is now operating without a paid administrator and reallocated those duties and responsibilities accordingly.
International efforts expanded and strengthened through providing eye care and an oxygen generator to a hospital in India.
A printed and on-line Portland Rotary roster will be available for everyone by the middle of August.
Committee chairs for Rotary year 2022-23 are:
Brian Nickerson- Vocational Service Committee: working with Portland Arts and Technology High School.
Bob Clark- Youth Services Committee: Overseeing summer reading programs at both Lyseth Elementary School and Sagamore Village, the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and the monthly college scholarships presented to worthy seniors from 5 area schools.
John Thompson- Interact and Rotaract/ also New Mainer Task Force
Bill Blount will be music chair
Dave Putnam is the program chair- programs for the year will have a variety of speakers from entertainers to lobstermen to educators and workshop facilitators.
Bruce Moore and Michelle DiSotto co-chair of the Recovery Task Force.
Patty Byers will lead the Rotary Foundation efforts. Last year’s record numbers of Paul Harris Fellows and major donors set the bar high, but another strong year is projected.
Patty Byers- Visioning and long range planning.
Jan Chapman and Brian Nickerson- Meeting Day committee
David Small- Invocation team will bring thoughtful and inspiring messages to the meetings.
Bowen Depke and Laura Young- Membership committee. They plan to bring 20 new members and encourage more that are under 40 years old as well as women. A “Rotarian At Work” t-shirt will be awarded quarterly to members who bring the most guests to meetings.
Emily Crowley- Social Media chair.
Roger Asch and Tom Nickerson- Constitution and By-Laws committee.
Ellen Niewoehner- Chair of the Environment Committee, leading a group of members that are dedicated to enhancing and preserving Portland’s beautiful, natural environment.
Tom Ranello- Fundraising chair. Plans are in the works for developing “Music on the Prom” and more as the ideas emerge.
Jake Bourdeau- Sargent at Arms
Alan Nye- Club Protection Officer
Community Service Chair- seeking a chair or co-chairs to help steer the committee. This committee has been in the process of establishing a signature project with the Portland Public Schools in a program called 68 hours, where kids go home with food in backpacks for the weekend, or a program called Make It Happen, where students are rebuilding the community they lost during COVID.
Roger Fagan and Eric Greven – Co-Chairs of the International Committee. In the Dominican Republic, Portland Rotary and Dr. Roger Fagan supported the fitting of 4, 037 solar powered hearing aids.
Larry Gross- Good Cheer Committee
Tom Talbott- Windjammer Editor. Be sure to read it every week! Loaded with interesting pictures and articles.
Maggie McGauley- Web Administrator
Rotary International’s year theme is “Imagine Rotary”. Personal and professional priorities President Bruce will strive for are: “To Listen and to Understand and Collaborate”.
President Bruce thanked all Portland Rotary members, for the flexibility, adaptability and most important for the initiative to step up and support the club. Thank you to the Rotary Board, including the former president elect and now President Bruce Jones, the Treasurer Dick Hall, the Vice President Patty Byers, Club Secretary Bill Blount and Bob Clark, John Thompson, Ben Millick and Sargent-at-Arms Jake Bourdeau.
Quoting Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”, President Bruce imagines a Rotary where members have fun, enjoy fellowship and build relationships that endure throughout the club.
Bits & Pieces
by Laura Young
President Bruce Jones welcomed everyone to his first official meeting of the Portland Rotary Club.
Mike Fortunato led the Pledge of Allegiance.
David Small gave the invocation which was all about William Bruce Jones. He spoke about the importance of the responsibility as president.
After lunch, Past President and Past District Governor Dick Hall led the meeting. He introduced a visiting guest, visiting Rotarian and four members of the Portland Sunrise Satellite Club: Art Howe, Jack Schraeter, Quinn Slayton, Jim Smith.
Dick presented a gift to Patty as she helped to recruit five new Paul Harris Society members which is the highest in the District. This means that there are five new members who committed to give $1K a year to Rotary Foundation. Another club had two new PH Society members. Patty thanked everyone for their generosity. She said she agreed to chair foundation committee because of the generosity of the club.
Dick thanked Bruce Jones and presented a gift to him for helping move the club to "in-person" over the past 6 months.
Dick invited all Past Presidents to come to the front to speak and congratulate Bruce on his presidency. L-R: Dick Hall, Tom Talbott, Larry Gross, Ellen Niewoehner, Paul T. Gore, Roxane Cole, Bowen Depke, Jack Carr, Don Lowry, John Marr, Bill Blount. Zooming in with more congrats came from Laura Young and Amy Chipman
Bill Blount made “a very, very short" pitch saying It’s the 30th year of Rotary Tennis and it’s time for players to pay dues before Aug 1st."
Foundation Chair Patty Byers recognized Roger Asch as the latest Paul Harris fellow, his first.
Thank you Roger! Standing ovation!
The raffle gave Julie L’Heureux the chance to pick the Queen of Hearts to take home $410 cash, but drawing the Three of Clubs pays nothing. Sorry Juliana, but the pot will keep growing!
Quinn Slayton, chair of Portland Sunrise Satellite Club, spoke and invited everyone to attend a Portland Sunrise and Portland Rotary Social event on Wednesday, July 20th, 5:30 pm at Bunker Brewing Co, 17 Westfield Street in Portland. Great indoor/outdoor location. Quinn also invited everyone to join Portland Sunrise Satellite meetings on the 1st and 4th Wednesday at 7:30 am via Zoom.: L-R Quinn Slaton, Jack Schraeter, Art Howe III, and Jim Schmidt!
Paul Tully spoke about Flags for Heroes, our 4th year. September 8th is the kick off event so we need to get people to sign up to honor a special person with a recognition. People can recognize spouses, partners, public servants, first responders, relatives, friends, nonprofit organizations, etc. Flags cost $100. More details on the Portland Rotary website along with a link to sign up and purchase a flag. Goal to have each Rotarian sponsor one hero and find someone else to sponsor a flag. Funds go to Portland Rotary outreach programs and Ukrainian Relief Fund. Call Charlie Frair or Paul with any questions.
Sponsoring a hero is easy! You can submit a $100 donation online below, or download a sponsor form and mail it with a check to: Portland Rotary, P.O. Box 1755, Portland, ME 04104-1755. 100% of the proceeds from Flags for Heroes will support crucially important charity work happening in nearby communities in Maine, and as far away as Ukraine. For more information please visit the event page.
Dick presented Bruce Jones as the new president of Portland Rotary Club. He received a standing O.
Ghostbusters? No, just the Portland Rotary Environmental Committee visiting ecomaine! Bruce Moore, Dick Hall, Ellen Niewoehner, Brian Nickerson, Tom Ranello, Jan Chapman, and Patty Byers.
Speaker Schedule
July 22 | Patrice McCarron, Exec. Director, Maine Lobstermen's Assocation
July 29 | Steve and Chuck Romanoff from Schooner Fare
August 5 | Jason Judd, Maine Spark Employment
Club Executives President Bruce Jones 1st VP Dick Hall 2nd VP Patty Byers Treasurer Dick Hall Secretary Bill Blount Board of Directors Bob Clark, John Thompson, Ben Millick Sergeant-At-Arms Jake Bourdeau
The Windjammer is published online by
The Rotary Club of Portland, Maine.
Contributing Editors Bill Blount, Jake Bourdeau, Dick Hall,
Erik Jorgensen, Julie L’Heureux, Ben Lowry,
Tom Nickerson, Tom Talbott, Laura Young
1st Q Program Chair: Dave Putnam Managing Editor Tom Talbott
Past District Governor Dick Hall (2021-22), recognized and thanked Portland Rotary President Bruce Jones for his leadership during the club’s transitions through the two year COVID challenges, while filling in as the president and serving in his position as first vice-president.
Dick presented a gift to Patty as she helped to recruit five new Paul Harris Society members which is the highest in the District. This means that there are five new members who committed to give $1K a year to Rotary Foundation. Another club had two new PH Society members. Patty thanked everyone for their generosity. She said she agreed to chair foundation committee because of the generosity of the club.
everyone to attend a Portland Sunrise and Portland Rotary Social event on Wednesday, July 20th, 5:30 pm at Bunker Brewing Co, 17 Westfield Street in Portland. Great indoor/outdoor location. Quinn also invited everyone to join Portland Sunrise Satellite meetings on the 1st and 4th Wednesday at 7:30 am via Zoom.
Paul Tully spoke about Flags for Heroes, our 4th year. September 8th is the kick off event so we need to get people to sign up to honor a special person with a recognition. People can recognize spouses, partners, public servants, first responders, relatives, friends, nonprofit organizations, etc. Flags cost $100. More details on the Portland Rotary website along with a link to sign up and purchase a flag. Goal to have each Rotarian sponsor one hero and find someone else to sponsor a flag. Funds go to Portland Rotary outreach programs and Ukrainian Relief Fund. Call Charlie Frair or Paul with any questions.
Sponsoring a hero is easy! You can submit a $100 donation online below, or download a 
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